This recipe was introduced to us by our friends Claire and Eric, who live in Houston with their son, Eli. There’s a bit of labor involved, but well worth the effort. Claire served the burgers with pickled onions and a side of orzo salad with feta, while Eric poured the wine!

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 8 oz long-grain brown rice
• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 ½ Tbs olive oil
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbs raw unsalted sunflower seeds
• ½ red onion, very finely chopped
• Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• Small handful basil, chopped

Preparation:

Cook the rice according to package directions, then spread out on a piece of foil to dry completely. Meanwhile, toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil and cumin, then roast in a large frying pan until cooked through. Remove and set aside to cool. Put the sunflower seeds in a cup and cover with water to soak. Put a bit more olive oil in the pan and add onion and ginger with a pinch of salt and cook until very soft, about 5-minutes. Drain the sunflower seeds and pat dry. Put all the ingredients, along with the basil into a bowl and mash. Mixture should be chunky, not smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Form into four patties, then refrigerate until ready to cook. These can be made 2-3 days ahead. When ready to cook, fry in a skillet until brown on each side, or cook on a grill. Serve with pickled onions or any of your favorite toppings.